News

Aug 25, 2023

2 Mass. men sold a dozen machine gun conversion devices, ‘switches,’ feds say

A “Glock switch” is an after-market device which is designed to illegally

A "Glock switch" is an after-market device which is designed to illegally convert a semiautomatic Glock pistol into a fully automatic machine gun. (ATF)

Two Boston men accused of selling a dozen machine gun conversion devices, also known as "switches," were indicted by a federal grand jury Monday.

Elijah Navarro, 24, and Michael Wilkerson, 22, are accused of selling and manufacturing illegal machine gun conversion devices, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office District of Massachusetts.

In January, Navarro agreed to sell 12 machine gun conversion devices to a person in exchange for $1,700, according to the charging court documents.

Machine gun conversion devices are a tool that converts a semi-automatic Glock pistol into a fully automatic machine gun capable of firing several bullets a second — switches are typically created with 3-D printers. These Glock pistols with the switch attachment are deemed machine guns under federal law.

Officials said following a series of communications, Navarro met the person twice at an arranged location. On Jan. 19, Navarro sold the first two machine gun conversion devices to the person for $400 and later, on Jan. 25, Navarro sold the remaining 10 devices for an additional $1,300 out of Wilkerson's residence, according to court records.

During a search of Wilkerson's residence on Feb. 16, authorities uncovered two 3-D printers, 3-D printing material, machine gun conversion devices, a ballistic vest as well as firearms, ammunition and magazines, officials said.

Neither Navarro nor Wilkerson have licenses to import, manufacture, deal or possess firearms. The two were arrested and charged on Feb. 16.

On Monday, a grand jury indicted Navarro and Wilkerson on one count each of engaging in the business as a manufacturer or dealer in firearms and one count and two counts, respectively, of transferring or possessing a machine gun.

"When we look at crime data for Boston in 2022, our city remains one of [the] very few urban centers in the country where overall violent crime remains down," said United States Attorney Rachael S. Rollins. "Every illegal firearm and conversion device we take off the street is preventing a potential homicide, shooting or maiming. Every piece of illegal ammunition we seize represents a life saved. The proliferation of illegal firearms and deadly conversion devices in our Commonwealth is a public health and a public safety crisis. Mr. Navarro and Mr. Wilkerson allegedly possessed unregistered machine gun conversion devices that turn already deadly firearms into weapons of war."

Rollins said Boston is far too familiar with the deadly effects of gun violence. There were 40 homicides in Boston in 2021 and 41 homicides in 2022. Federal officials said the overwhelming majority of those homicides were due to illegal firearms.

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